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WWII living history/re-enactors needed May 29th Stockton, CA

Wed Feb 20, 2008 8:29 pm

Hello,

We have an interesting project coming up that I think you might want to get involved with.

We are going to recreate a WWII bomber mission with the only Consolidated B-24J Liberator still flying.

Image

This “Mission” will depart from Stockton Field (SCK) in Northern California and will fly a bombing run to Eagle Field near Dos Palos, California.

We need three different groups or re enactors for the Mission. The first two will be based at Stockton Field (Stockton Metropolitan Airport). One of these groups will be the ground crew that will be servicing the B-24 (with fuel, maintenance, bombs and guns) for the flight and the other will be the flight crew to represent the crew for the Mission. The third group will be at Eagle Field and we hope to have a small ground battle between the Americans and the Germans as the B-24 comes in on the bomb run.

The Collings Foundation will be coming to Stockton Field from May 28th through the 30th with their full complement of bombers; the B-17G Flying Fortress, B-24J Liberator and the B-25 Mitchell. We are going to fly the Mission around 1600 (4pm) on Thursday the 29th.

The Stockton Field contingent of living History folks are welcome to stay throughout the entire time the Collings aircraft are at Stockton. The group at Eagle Field is welcome to set up on the 29th or possible the day before.

Here is a brief outline of the “Mission”:

The “Mission” is the combination of several individual projects previously put together Vintage Aircraft and the Stockton Field Aviation Museum where the technology of WWII has been brought back to life, in living history form, for historical documentaries.

In the past we have put a working Norden Bombsight back in the nose of a 1944 B-25 and let original aircrew members try their skills once again. Dropping practice bombs from the B-25 with the Norden was very interesting and presented a challenge to the Bombardiers.

We have also brought out back to life the gun turrets, including the famous Ball Turret from the belly of the B-17 and the B-24, and let the WWII gunners fired the guns once again.

Our latest project has been to get the old radios operational and to get the WWII radio operators back behind the Morse code key one more time.

With the “Mission” we plan on bringing all of these individual projects together in one bomber to let the WWII crewmen show us what it was like for these heroes to defend our country over 60 years ago.

The “Mission” will be a shortened version of an actual combat mission flown from Stockton Metropolitan Airport, which used to be Stockton Army Air Field, to bomb targets at Eagle Field, Dos Palos, California, also a WWII airfield.

The last flying B-24J in the world will be the platform for the “Mission” as she is very stock and original and is complete with gun turrets and radio gear. The B-24 will be loaded with bombs and crew in period clothing using original equipment. The Armorers will prepare the guns just as they did before a mission in 1944. The radio operator in the Liberator will communicate with the Command Jeep using the same radio equipment that was used back then, to obtain permission for takeoff. The bomber will takeoff and fly on its mission. The bomber will be joined by two P-51D Mustangs who will provide air cover for the mission. The B-24 might just be attacked while she is heading in to the target and it will be up to the gunners and the Mustangs to ward off the attacking aircraft.

As the B-24 gets closer to the target area they will make contact with the forward air controllers who will advise the bomber of the latest target information. The bomber will make a reconnaissance run to evaluate the target which will be followed by an actual bomb run. The bomber will drop 250 and or 500 pound practice bombs on two different runs to try and hit the target. On the second run pyrotechnics will indicate that the target has been hit. The B-24 will make a low pass over the target area and will then head for home base.

As the Liberator returns home a close eye will be kept out for more attacking fighters as the waist gunners and the ball turret gunners scan the skies.

As the Bomber nears the base she will make contact with the command Jeep for landing instructions and will come in for a low pass followed by a landing. Flares from the B-24 indicate that wounded are onboard which will alert the waiting ambulance. The ground crews will attend to the aircrew and the aircraft following the “Mission”.

Look for more information soon on http://www.twinbeech.com/themission.htm

If you would like to get involved or know someone who would, please contact me as soon as possible. Period correct uniforms, vehicles and equipment would sure add greatly to this event. We hope that it will be so successful that we can repeat it year after year.

Thanks in advance for your help,

Taigh Ramey
7432 C.E. DIXON STREET
STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA 95206
(209) 982-0273
(209) 982-4832 FAX
TAIGH@TWINBEECH.COM
http://www.twinbeech.com/
KEEP ‘EM FLYING…FOR HISTORY!

Thu Feb 21, 2008 9:19 am

What are the reenactor requirements?
I don't know that I could actually even consider going out there, but I might know some folks that could.
Sounds really neat.

Ryan

Tue Mar 11, 2008 8:49 pm

So does this mean you're still looking for aircrew for this? I have a full bomber crew impression just sitting in my kit bag ready to go. I used to volunteer time with the Collings folks back when they'd come through Florida and scored a few rides on their planes already. This isn't too terribly far away for me, just south along the coast. If I knew for a fact I'd get to go up, I'd spring for a airline ticket down there to do this.Who's providing the guns for the turrets? I'm guessing a movie company gun outfit, right? I know that California has a ban on all automatic weapons and blank adapting a .50 cal is a mother of a job without a lot of modifications to the barrel.

Sun Jul 27, 2008 4:57 pm

Fellows we were the ground crew for this and it was a BLAST!! Yup, it was the closest thing to the real thing many will get. Hell, at one point I felt I was on an actual deployment except for not working KC-135's and working a B-24!
:D

Scott

Mon Jul 28, 2008 8:19 pm

cco23i wrote:Fellows we were the ground crew for this and it was a BLAST!! Yup, it was the closest thing to the real thing many will get.
well, at least someone got contact back and got to do this... :roll:
FYI, when you're giving a heads up looking for folks and they respond asking for more info, giving them that info is usually a good thing to do!

Mon Jul 28, 2008 8:41 pm

P51,
If you want as soon as I get info I can send it to you.


Scott

Tue Jul 29, 2008 8:53 pm

cco23i wrote:If you want as soon as I get info I can send it to you.
Thanks, but I was actually referring to the original poster of this thread. Someone talks about an event as if looking for people, folks respond, then dead utter silence. I might have gotten on a plane and gone down to this with my full AAF aircrew impression if only someone would have had the courtesy to simply respond… :roll:

Tue Jul 29, 2008 8:58 pm

No problem, heck our group kinda worried the poor fellows from Reno I think, (We are not the most politically or tactfully correct fellows in town). Yes, I think after 3 military types with little sleep get together in the local Denny's the conversation will go south.

Scott

Sun Aug 17, 2008 12:34 am

P51,

I am sorry I didn't get back to you as I do not visit this board regularly. I also didn't receive e-mail notices that there was a response. I put my direct e-mail, web site and phone numbers up on the original post so that if anyone wanted to get in touch with me they could contact me directly.

Scott and company: thanks for your participation and help. You guys were great to have around and sure made the event a lot more realistic. I hope you can come next year as we hope to make it even better each year. Hopefully P51, you can make it too. Just keep an eye out for the Collings Foundation's visit to Stockton, CA. We hope to put together a WWII bomber crew fantasy camp and the more reenactors the better.

It was a great experience, thanks to everyone who helped to make it happen. Just wait 'til next year!

Taigh

Sun Aug 17, 2008 12:22 pm

Taigh,
OH YES WE WILL BE THERE!!! That you can count on! We had a blast and you guys were GREAT! Thanks again!!

Scott

Mon Aug 18, 2008 1:01 am

Hello Scott,

I am glad that you all will be back next year. We hope to make it even better.

I love the photo for your avatar. Do you have any other photos that I can get copies of? I have a bunch for you too. Can you send me your mailing address?

Thanks again,
Taigh

Re: WWII living history/re-enactors needed May 29th Stockton

Tue May 21, 2013 8:40 pm

The post that started it all! pop2 :drink3: :D

Re: WWII living history/re-enactors needed May 29th Stockton

Thu May 23, 2013 9:34 pm

See you guys tommorow! The pin-up girls and cold beer is waiting! :drink3:
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